


On the ghost train

by powerfulowl (StuckyFlangst)



Series: Sweet and Sad Stucky mouthfuls [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Carnival, Childhood Friends, Fluff, M/M, Reunion, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:53:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28645533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StuckyFlangst/pseuds/powerfulowl
Summary: Bucky hates the Haunted House at the Brooktown Easter Carnival. But this time there's a large, warm, stranger on the Ghost Train to help him out along the way.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Sweet and Sad Stucky mouthfuls [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2076327
Comments: 9
Kudos: 46





	On the ghost train

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little prompt response from Twitter. I have a few of these I'll post over the next weeks. The prompt is a place and a word. This one is carnival + afraid. I was trying to write between 100 and 500 words.

Bucky hated the Haunted House at the Brooktown Easter Carnival. 

He knew it was all fake. He knew there were no zombies, or werewolves, or vampires. Maybe there  _ were _ a few spiders, but there definitely weren’t any giant, mutated ones with fangs dripping venom and glowing green eyes.

_ Knowing _ didn’t seem to help, though.

Every year Becca would tease him about being a scaredy cat, until he was forced to prove her wrong by buying a ticket and sitting down in the Ghost Train. Ad then she would be proven right when Bucky was reduced to a quivering wreck by the unconvincing mechatronics and the ghostly figures reflected infinitely in the Horrible Hall of Haunted Mirrors.

The only difference on this particular day was that Becca’s fiancé was with them. So when Becca teased Bucky, Bucky just rolled his eyes and scoffed. He was twenty-six whole years old. Of  _ course _ he wasn’t afraid of a dumb haunted house.

They squeezed into the ghost train, Becca and Rob together and Bucky squeezed next to a stranger in the row behind. The guy said hello but Bucky was focusing on his breathing. He was  _ not  _ going to scream.

He gave just a  _ little  _ jump when the train passed through the (fake) cobwebs over the entry. And he made a  _ meep  _ when there was a groan and the rattle of chains off in the darkness. Becca snickered and Bucky glared at the shadowy back of her head.

Then a huge furry spider dropped from the ceiling and Bucky _shrieked_. And whoops. He was clutching a warm, soft, _massive_ , bicep. And the spider was obviously not real. It was the size of a large dog. And made of rubber.

Bucky’s face was aflame. Becca cackled even louder than the witch bent over her cauldron, and Rob was turning and grinning. 

But a big, warm, gentle hand was patting Bucky’s knee and the giant stranger next to him wasn’t laughing, he was leaning to whisper in Bucky’s ear.

‘You can hold my hand if you want.’ 

Oh, that voice was warm and deep and comforting. And a little familiar? But the man’s face was in shadows.

So Bucky did hold his hand, the whole ride, and when the vampire rose from its coffin an arm curled protectively round Bucky. In the Horrible Hall of Haunted Mirrors Bucky focused less on the ghost and more on shining blond hair reflected infinitely. 

When they stumbled out into the light, Bucky turned to the stranger.

‘ _ Steve Rogers? _ ’ Bucky exclaimed. His best fried at elementary school, his first crush, his first kiss. 

Steve blushed and flashed a dimple with his shy smile.

‘Yeah, Buck. I just moved back to town.’ He squeezed Bucky’s hand (oh god they were still holding hands). ‘I hope this makes up for the time I threw up on your shoes after we went on the Cyclone.’

Bucky felt his grin getting bigger.

‘You know what Stevie, I think it does.’


End file.
